


One Million and One

by Headphone_Love



Series: Fictober19 [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, First Love, Gen, Juleka is a Good Sister, Luka is also not Oblivious, Luka is the Goodest of Boys, Luka-centric, Not Beta'd, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Snake Luka Couffaine | Viperion, Unrequited Love, We die like real (wo)men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21179849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Headphone_Love/pseuds/Headphone_Love
Summary: Luka catches Alya's Ladyblog update and is amused at the coverage...until he catches sight of Chat Noir.Maybe he was missing Ladybug more than Luka thought.





	One Million and One

**Author's Note:**

> Second part to 'Curtain Call' and the Lukanette version of the events.
> 
> Fictober19- October 22nd- "We could have a chance"
> 
> I always loved the thought of Luka not being as oblivious as everyone else, especially with how attentive he is towards the girl he loves. 
> 
> Enjoy ;)

“Oh my, you seem to have made quite the firssssst impression, sir.”

Staring at the front page of the Ladyblog, Luka hummed in response and leaned closer to his monitor. “New superhero ‘Viperion’ slithers his way into the heart of a local?” the musician spoke aloud, chuckling at the title. It seemed that Alya had picked up on some of Chat Noir’s charm and used it to write about his debut at their school. He hadn’t expected it if he were being honest. The Ladyblog had been the last thing on his mind after gaining a miraculous, though he supposed that he should have seen it coming. 

He was surprised that Alya, considering all that Marinette talked about her, hadn’t asked Viperion for an interview right then and there considering his display towards her best friend. When he’d gotten back home after the akuma attack, he’d worried he had come on a bit too strong. He hadn’t regret a single thing he’d said or done, enjoying the freedom to woo Marinette and it seemed that it was welcomed by Alya as both Marinette’s friend and the creator of the blog itself.

If going by what was posted, he wasn’t as creepy or pushy as he thought he’d been. Viperion was described as charming, attentive, and ‘well built’ which only proceeded to make Luka turn a bit pink in the cheeks. He appreciated the compliments but wondered why there wasn’t much on Chat Noir when they had fought the akuma together. In the photos, Chat Noir was clear as day. In the writing, however, he was mentioned only a handful of times. 

Alya certainly hadn’t missed anything Viperion had said, even going as far as to include that Marinette was “his muse”. 

Perhaps he had  _ also _ taken a page out of Chat Noir’s book to offer Marinette the affectionate nickname. If Chat could use names like ‘my lady’ and ‘bugaboo’ then the musical part of him had to make Marinette aware of her place in his heart before someone else did. Doing it in front of Chat, however, hadn’t been the best call, Luka would agree. 

Taking a closer look at the photos, the musician frowned. In the photos not taken during the fight itself, he could sense a bit of...conflict in his partner’s expression.

“Sass...does Chat Noir seem tense in these photos to you?” 

The kwami flew over slowly until he rested on Luka’s shoulder, taking his time to process the information he was seeing. 

“Perhaps Plagg was being a nuisance. That cat always has cheese on the mind. Or as he says, ‘Sugarcube’.”

Biting his lower lip, Luka shook his head slowly. “No...no, I feel like there’s some struggle in his melody. I wonder if it has to do with me being his partner.”

Sass was about to speak until the door opened. Luka tensed and turned while the kwami hid inside his shirt.

“Juleka?”

His sister sighed, plopping onto his bed with a quiet thump. “Luka, I have bad ne—Oh...you saw already.”

Unsure of what his sister was talking about, he turned to the screen to see the post he’d been reading. He then turned back to Juleka to see her expression was wary, as if unsure of if he would finally ‘lose it’ as she said happened to calm people. It took a few good moments to register what the issue was, as his mouth formed into an ‘O’ shape. 

She was unaware of the fact that  _ he _ was Viperion, and so to any outsider, it would look as if someone was also fighting for Marinette’s affections. 

“Oh, Jules. I’m not worried about this. The heroes of Paris know their identities can’t be revealed. Not even if they love someone. Marinette would never put herself or Viperion in danger, and I’m sure whoever he is would offer her the same courtesy.” 

Juleka’s expression softened. “What if this person knows her as themselves, ya know? I was just worried since you already have to deal with Adrien being the one she is getting over and—”

Wording was key when it came to him and his sister. It was a reason they enjoyed writing so much, though his sister was much better at lyrics than he was. This made the way she phrased her statements extremely telling to Luka and caught his attention instantly.

“Getting over? She’s reached that point already?”

Nodding, Juleka pushed the hair from her face only for it to fall back into place a moment after. “She and Adrien have become closer as friends, but she doesn’t freak out anymore. It’s like she’s accepted that Adrien in her life as a friend is better than trying to force more. But now Viperion seems to know this which is why…”

“Jules,” Luka spoke, standing and walking over to the younger teen. “Marinette is the only person that can choose who she likes and wants to be with.”

“But you really lo—”

“I know,” Luka said, a tad bit softer. “I know how I feel and I know you don’t understand why I don’t just tell her. But at the end of the day, Marinette and I agree on the fact that friendship is better than nothing at all.”

Another sigh from his baby sister. 

“If Rose hadn’t liked me I’m not sure what I would have done.”

Nudging her gently, Luka smiled. “You would have written a song and performed it for her. Because Rose is a different person with different views on love. Marinette is softer but also enjoys the independence of being able to think about her choices. Everyone is different, but at the end of the day we’re human,” he explained. “We want to give and receive love…the type varies.”

Juleka nodded, taking in the words before shooting to her feet. “I need to write,” she said as she sped from the room, Luka watching as his door shut behind her. Sass peeked out from his shirt before moving back to his spot on his shoulder. 

“Ssssir, you love this girl?” Sass asked, moving back towards the monitor to stare at Marinette. Luka followed suit, returning to his chair and resting his elbows on the computer table. 

“I do,” Luka replied, not feeling as awkward admitting it to the kwami. 

“And you believe she returnsss these affections?” 

Thinking about their interactions, Luka’s heart and shoulders felt a bit lighter. “She definitely has a place for me in her heart,” he decided. “Which is more than I could ask for considering how much longer the other person she loves has been in her life.”

Sass looked back and forth between the photo, wanting nothing more than to tell his holder what he knew. He wondered if this was the struggle that the other kwamis went through, snapping from his thoughts when he heard Luka sigh. 

“Besides, Marinette has much more on her plate than the average girl. I’m sure that while love is on the mind, her school work, her friends and family…” Luka trailed off, looking up at Sass with a knowing expression. “…protecting all of Paris as  _ Ladybug _ …” 

Sass tensed, about to speak and deny it until Luka winked. 

“I had an inkling after my mother was akumatized. It was only proven when I began to notice the similarities and how they’re never in the same place at once. Anyone looking close enough would be able to tell after some point.”

From her hair to the way her eyes shined whenever she was successful, to how hard she was on herself whenever something went wrong…it was only proven completely once she had come to him with the miraculous. Mainly because of how whenever he joked about the boy she loved, she’d turn into full-on Marinette: stuttering and all. Really, he should have known when XY had stolen his music and her designs and how she treated Bob Roth by tying him to a chair. 

“You know who Ladybug isssss,” Sass said slowly, knowing he wouldn’t be able to fool this boy into believing otherwise. “Do you know of anyone elssse, then?” 

“No, just her,” Luka promised. “And I won’t say a word about it as long as you don’t. Marinette already explained to me the dangers of a holder’s identity getting out there. I don’t want to be the one that ruins her chances at being Ladybug...especially when she’s so great at it.”

Sass knew even if she was discovered, she was the only successor to their master. At this point, all could come crumbling if anyone else found out. “Deal.”

Standing and stretching his arms out, Luka moved to his bed and grabbed for a guitar. Sass followed while watching intently. His new holder was certainly the more shocking one of them both. 

And Sass hadn't felt shock in a long time considering his age.

“Even though her human form lovesss someone else, and Chat Noir loves her hero form…you are not worried? Does that not make two people you must go against?” 

Strumming absentmindedly, Luka closed his eyes. “It does. But one million men could want her hand.”

Sass waited, relaxing instinctively once Luka began to play a song that was one he hadn’t heard before. It made him feel warm, his eyes closing as he allowed the melody to wrap around him. 

“What matters is that we could have a chance, so for her, I’d become Mr. one million and one without much hesitation.”

‘Ah,’ Sass thought, reopening his eyes to see Luka smiling with his own eyes closed. He had always felt how sincere his holder was in all aspects of his life, but this was not something he would have seen coming. 

‘How Love can spur the creation of such honest art in the human world,’ Sass thought in amusement. ‘Tikki would surely approve.’


End file.
